During an interview with the website Ouest-France , Bruce Dickinson , vocalist of Iron Maiden , reflected on the advancements in his vocal technique since he decided to become a professional vocalist back in the 1980s.
According to the vocalist: “I’m very lucky to have a strong and powerful voice. I couldn’t do certain things 30 years ago because I was too busy competing to see who could hit the highest notes, who could do this and that, who could sing the words the fastest. Because when you’re young, it all comes down to fighting, battling, winning, and competing. I’m not competing with anything but the truth these days; what I want is authenticity in emotions. That even sounds boring, but actually, if you put it in the context of more screamed metal, it becomes very powerful.”
Regarding his performance, but now focusing on his relationship with the audience during the show, Bruce states: “The best thing in the world, the best feeling in the world, at least for me as a singer, is when you have a great sound for your voice along with the other instruments and everything works and you know you're moving people with it. That's what it's about – why you do it. That's my drug. Of course, the opposite is also true, as it can become the worst place to be when things don't work.”
Bruce is currently promoting his latest solo album, The Mandrake Project , and preparing for a tour with Iron Maiden in the middle of the year, promoting the 2021 Senjutsu 1986 Somewhere In Time
Bruce's vocal evolution over the decades
Singing, like a physical sport, demands a lot from the vocal muscles, especially in genres that require a more intense approach (such as metal in general). A good vocalist is always attentive to these changes and how their technique is influencing the entire vocal range.
For Bruce, it was no different. When he started his career, back in the 70s, with the band Shots (which recorded the only single, "Dracula") and soon after with Samson , it's possible to see how Dickinson focused on hitting very high notes, with a lot of pressure, volume, and a lot of use of vocal drives (distortions that allow for more intensity in the singing).
Already at the forefront of Maiden's vocals, Bruce began to change his singing style over the years, something that becomes quite visible when you compare his debut with the band in The Number Of The Beast (1982) and his temporary farewell in Fear Of The Dark (1992), where the effect of an entire decade was present, especially in live shows.
Maiden's long, intense, and periodic performances around the world were extremely taxing on Bruce's voice, which is clearly evident in several live recordings from that time, such as in "Hallowed By Thy Name" on the Maiden England , recorded in 1988 during the promotion of the album Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son .
It's clear that his voice can no longer reach the necessary notes, and Bruce makes one last effort to end the show with the mastery it demands (and succeeds, delivering an excellent performance despite the obvious fatigue).
As the 1980s drew to a close and the 1990s began, Bruce changed his singing style, mainly in how he used vocal drives, reached high notes, and projected power. His voice became darker, harsher, and more powerful than before, abandoning the "siren" aesthetic that had earned him the nickname in the previous decade and adopting a more raw approach, but without losing his classic signatures.
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